The Perfect Storm 3

Chapter 236

The drive to my mother's house has been nothing but quiet, neither of us has spoken yet and I don't want to. The blue spring air greets us as we step outside but Miles's face s still colorless.

"Miles, I'm—"

"It's cool." He stops me and walks away as if I'm not there. I know I've hurt him, but if I forgive Miles for the rest of my life, nothing will change. I don't want to see if there's someone else out there, I never would, but I can't just jump back in like it's nothing. I feel so bad, terrible but I can't let my emotions walk all over me again, not this time.

I close my eyes, grab my phone and send Cody a 'yes' to his offer when I was too drunk to give him a straight answer during the last party. 

I don't remember half the things that happened but what I do know is that I need this. I trial quickly behind Miles as he approaches the front door of the house I thought I'd never been back in.

I take a few shaky breaths and when I do, I feel Miles's hand reach for mine. I look up o him but he's not looking back at me. I take his hand but his eyes still don't turn to mine. I take one more breath, this time much deeper, and this time I don't feel the shakiness in me anymore.

I take a few steps toward the door but to my surprise, someone's inside. I slowly open the door but Miles pushes me back and enters first, keeping me safe behind him with one of his strong arms.

"Jace," I speak as I spot him in the kitchen, with his phone in his hands.

"Madison." He stands up from one of the chairs.

"Are you okay? I've been worried sick, I've been texting you non-stop." He says in a panic.

"I thought maybe you'd b here but you weren't, I—I didn't know where you were." He says and I can tell he's on the verge of tears. He completely ignores Miles as if he isn't even here but I don't, and I spot the small smile on Miels's face, I didn't receive any texts from Jace and I'm not surprised if Miles had anything to do with it. I press Miles's hand away from me in annoyance, why does he do nothing but hurt me?

I completely forgot to let Cody or Jace know what was happening or where I was, or that I was more than okay.

"I told Stephanie you were okay," Miles whispers to me as he walks past Jace and me as if to somehow mend the anger I have for him right now.

"Oh, Madison." Jace breathes and then falls onto me into a hug but my eyes can't stop from watching Milles as he sits on the edge of the kitchen table, staring right at me with that smirk of his.

"You'll never change, will you?" I mouth more to myself than to him but I see his smile growing and I know he understood me.

"I'm so glad you're here but . . . I know that you're always here when something is wrong." Jace finally pulls away from me and I feel the guilt flood into me as if someone has ripped a hole into my body and it's all just gushing in. It's all too much.

"I . . ." I can't bring myself to explain or to see the person I came here to see. I need more time, I can't just jump into something like this, what will I even say? What if I'm wrong? And what If I'm right and I've been this blind my whole life?

"We're visiting." Miles jumps in and Jace's head turns to look at him as he pulls himself off the table, his strong arms flexing. Jace then turns to me and I give him a small smile.

"Do you, um have my necklace?" I ask Jace and his face instantly turns twisted.

"I, uh, I couldn't find it." He says abruptly and in a swift motion, he heads for the door. "I have to go—" A knock stops him and I can't help but just watch his odd behavior.

"Can I come in?" Rosie asks sweetly and I nod. She brushes her shoes against the front door mat. As I watch her come closer, I can't help but wonder if she knows how Jace feels about me or if she's okay with it, or if Jace ever told her that I slept over in his bed. But the only thing I can see is that she wants him as much as Jace wants me.

Her eyes are fixated on the way his hand is gently wrapped around hers while his eyes are fixated on mine.

"I love your necklace," I say, approaching closer and see Rosie's smile fill the entire area.

But the closer I approach, the more I realize it looks exactly like the necklace Jace gave me. It is the necklace Jace gave me.

I find myself holding it gently on top of my fingers, tears forming in my eyes.

"Jace . . . how could you?"I whisper.

I look at him, my eyes getting smaller as they're filled with tears, I take one last glance at Miles, wondering if I'm the only one that's reacting this way to something so small but Miles doesn't even look at me, he's not looking at anyone but that necklace, his eyes narrowing on the thing that's so important to me but that isn't from him.

"You're not the only one who has changed, Madison." He says, not even making eye contact with me and I feel my heart sing. Before I know it I'm alone, upstairs, crying into my knees.